Swinging pipe hanger



' Sept. 22, 1959 c. G. GRABE swmcmc PIPE HANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed ON. 22, 1956 INVENTOR.

CLARENCE G. GRABE uus ATTORNEYS Sept. 22, 1959 c. e. GRABE SWINGING PIPE HANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001:. 22, 1956 INVENTOR.

- CLARENCE G. GRABE ATTORNEYS United States Patent O SWINGING PIPE HANGER Clarence G. Grabe, Pittsburgh, Pa., asslguor to National Valve & Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application October 22, 1956, Serial No. 617,354

6 Claims. 01. 248-60) The present invention relates to a swinging hanger, and more particularly to hanger structure adapted to operate as a pipe support with provision for accommodating horizontal movement of pipe due to expansion and contraction thereof.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an efiicient, simple and inexpensive pipe supporting structure designed to accommodate limited horizontal movement thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide pipe supporting structure. including a stationary bracket formed of divergent fixed plates, and having an arm swingable about a vertical axis, and suspension means carried by said arm.

More specifically, it is a feature of the present invention to provide support structure comprising a pair of vertical plates rigidly interconnected at vertical edge portions thereof by pivot means having vertical axes, a third 6 plate supported for swinging movement between said pair of plates by said pivot means, and suspensionmeans on said third plate.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide suspension means comprising a pair of arms mounted for swinging movement about laterally spaced vertical axes, a link pivotally connecting the free ends of said arms and positioned to intersect a plane containing said vertical axes, and suspension means located on said link at a point dividing said link into lengths proportional to the lengths of said arms.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro vide structure as described in the preceding paragraph in which said arms are of equal length and in which said suspension means is located intermediate the ends of said links.

It is a further feature of the present invention-to provide structure comprising an intermediate vertical plate having a notch extending upwardly from its lower edge,

and having vertical pivot means at opposite ends thereof,

wing plates rigidly connected to the ends of said intermediate plate by said pivot means, arms pivoted respectively to said pivot means, a link pivotally connected to the free ends of said arms and extending through said notch, and suspension means intermediate the ends ofsaid link and movable upon swinging movement of said arms substantially in a straight line.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,

illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein: Y a

Figure 1 is a plan view of a swinging hanger constructed in accordance with the present invention, with parts broken away. a

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the structure shown section, showing a modified feature of the construction of Figure 1. a

Figure 4 is a plan view with parts brokenaway, of a modified construction.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a plan view with parts broken away, of another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 is an elevational view with parts broken away, of the structure shown in Figure 6.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the supporting structure comprises a fixed bracket formed by two rigid flat plates 10 and 12 of generally triangular configuration, said plates having substantially horizontal top edges 14 and 16 respectively, substantially vertical inner edges 18 and 20 respectively, and upwardly and outwardly inclined outer edges 22 and 24 respectively. The inner edges 18 and 20 of the plates 10 and 12 are rigidly connected to pivot eyes 24 and 26 as by welding indicated at 28. The outer ends of the top edges of the plates 10 and 12 are rigidly interconnected by a horizontal support bar 30 which is preferably welded at its ends to the top edges of the plates 10 and 12 remote from their connection to the pivot means 24.

A swinging support plate 32 is provided having pivot eyes 34 received between pivot eyes 24 and 26 and interconnected therewith by a vertical pivot pin 36. The swinging support plate 32 at its outer edge is provided with suspension means including the eye 38 through which extends a rod 40 having a loop 42 at its lower end and cooperating with the loop 44 of a suspension rod 46, which in turn has a loop 48 at its lower end. A pipe 50 is connected to the suspension rod 46 by straps 52 which may be loosely connected therewith. It will be apparent that due to the provision of the loops 42, 44 and 48, and the loose connection between the straps 52 and the pipe '50, longitudinal movement of the pipe in a direction parallel to its axis is accommodated although the outer end of the swinging support plate 32 moves in a limited arc.

The support bar 30 not only serves as means to rigidly interconnect the outer ends of the plates 10 and 12, but may also be employed as means for attaching the entire bracket to supporting structure.

With this construction the load, carried by means of eye 38 at the end of swinging plate 32, is always supported directly above the arc of travel of the eye 38. In other words, the eye 38, as it travels in an are from one extreme position adjacent plate 10 to its other extreme position adjacent plate 12, deviates only slightly from the center line of the support bar 30.

Hence, when the support bar 30 is attached to supporting structure, the result is that the load is supported directly above the arc of travel of the free end 38 of the swinging plate 32. This feature is of great importance in supporting heavy loads, since it eliminates the necessity of providing structural means, offset from the load, to which the supporting eye can be attached.

Referring now to Figure 3, instead of providing the rod sections 40 and 46 interconnected by the loops 42 and 44, the eye 38 of the swinging plate 32 may have a sufficiently large opening 54 to accommodate some swinging movement of a suspension rod 56. In this case the upper end of the suspension rod is shown as threaded as indicated at 58, and between nuts 60 and the eye 38 there is 'provided spherical bearing means indicated at 62 which permits swinging movement between the rod 56 and the eye 38 of the support plate.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 there is illustrated another embodiment of the present invention. In this case rigid plates 70 and 72 are provided which diverge as indicated and which have vertical edge portions 74 welded or otherwise rigidly connected to pivot eyes 76 and 79. In this case the swinging support is provided by articulated plates 78 and 80 interconnected by a vertical pivot pin 82 for relative swinging. movement about a vertical axis. The plate 78 has pivot eye or tube 84 located between the pivot eyes 76 and 79 and receiving the pivot pirr 86. Intermediate the top and bottorril' of the plate 78 are provided horizontally disposed flange sections 88'to reinforce the structure. a

At the outer end of the swinging plate 80 is provided suspension means including the eye 98 from which issuspended the rod 92 secured in place by nuts 94. It will .be appreciated that the suspension means in Figure may be of the type shown in Figure 2 or of the type shown in Figure 3 as desired. With the foregoing construction it will be apparent thatthe eye 90 may move horizontally in astraight line, this movement being accommodated by the required'relative pivoting movement between the articulated plates .78 and 80 about the axis of the pivot pin 82.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7 there is illustrated an arrangement in which the suspension means is movable only in a straight line relationship. In this case the supporting bracket structure comprises an intermediate vertically disposed fiat plate 100 having a substantially horizontal upper edge portion 102 and substantially vertical side'edges 104 and 106. The plate 100 is provided with a notch 108 which extends upwardly from its lower edge. Rigidly connected to the edge 104 of the plate 100 are vertical pivot eyes 110 and 112, the axes of which are vertical and in alignment. Similarly, pivot eyes 114 and 116 are rigidly secured to the edge 106 of the plate 100. The axes of the pivot eyes 114 and 116 are also vertical and in alignment. Rigidly connected to the pivot eyes 110 and 112 is a fiat vertically extending wing plate 118, and rigidly connected to the pivot eyes 114 and 116 is a fiat vertically extending wing plate 120. It will be observed that the plates 118 and 120 extend in opposite directions from opposite edge portions of the plate 100. Extending horizontally across the tops of the plates 100, 118 and 120 is a support bar or plate 122 which is preferably welded to the outer top edge portions of the'wing plates 118 and 120 remote from the pivot connections thereto and to an intermediate portion of the top edge of the plate 100. The support bar or plate 122 thus not only provides a rigid mounting bracket structure, but also afiords means for attaching the bracket to overhead supporting structure such as beams or the like. A swinging support plate 124 is provided having pivot eyes 126 and 128 adapted to be disposed between pivot eyes 110 and 112 and to receive the pivotpin130. Similarly, the swinging support plate 132 is provided with pivot eyes 134 and 136 adapted to be positioned between pivot eyes 114 and 116 to receive the pivot pin 138. p The outer edges of the swinging support plates'124 and 132 are provided respectively with eyes 140 and 142 which receive pivot pins 144 and 146 respectively. A support link 148 is provided having eyes 150 and 152 receiving pivot pins 144 and 146 respectively, by means of which the link is pivotally connected to the swinging ends of the support plates 124 and 132. The geometry of the swinging support plates or arms 124 and 132 and the interconnecting link 148 is such that an intermediate portion of the link is adapted to move in a straight line, this line being indicated in dot and dash lines at L in Figure 6. The requirements for producing the rectilinear movement of the intermediate portion of the link will subsequently be described. The intermediate portion of the link is provided with an eye158 which receives a support rod 160 adapted to support the load. It will of course be appreciated that the rod 160 may be constructed in accordance with the teachings of Figures 2 or 3 as desired.

In order that the eye 150 carried by an intermediate portion of the link 148 shall move in a straight line, it is a requirement that the link intersect a vertical plane .containing the axes of the pivot eyes 110, 112, 114 and 1 16. This in-turn'requires that theswinging plates 124 ae mieand 132. or the arms represented by these. plates, shall extend at opposite sides of the plane containing the aforesaid axes. In addition, the arms 124 and 132 are of equal length and the eye 158 is located midway between the ends of the link. As best seen in Figure 7, the link 148 passes through the';notch 108 in the plate 100. In mid-position plates 124mm 132 are both perpendicular tolink 148. T I:

V The .foregoing. construction is characterized. by its simpl'icity, rigiditygand the economywith' which it maybe produced." E'ss'entialIy,tlie componentsof the structure are flat platesdesigned to produce the required st'rength andrigidity'ata of cost. The assembly of these plates into the structure by welding them to the tubular pivot supportmea'nsprovides an extremely inexpensive and yet thoroughly efiicient construction.

While provision has been disclosed for providing strictly rectilinearmovenient of the support means or for accommodating' rectilinear movement thereof while its upper end-moves in an arcuate path, it will be appreciated that in. many applications of the present construction, the diiferential movement may be accommodated simply by loose'connection between the suspension means and the supported structure-such as the pipe.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved swinging hanger in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled inthe art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A support hanger comprising bracket structure'includingflapair of laterally spaced pivot means havingverticalaxes, arms of equal length pivoted at one end to said pivot means, a link pivoted at its ends to said arms, said linkextending in adirection to intersect the plane containing the" axes of said pivot means intermediate said 3216851113 lengthof saidlink being such that bothof said arms are substantially perpendicular to said link simultaneously, and suspension means located on said link substantially between its' ends.

2; A' support hanger comprising an intermediate'vertical plate havingv vertical end edges, pivot means having vertical axesat said end edges, vertical wing plates rigidly connected to the ends of said intermediate plate and extending-angularly from opposite sides thereof, arms of equal length pivoted at one end to said pivot means, a link pivoted atits ends to said arms, said link extending ina direction to intersect the plane containing the axes of said pivot means intermediate said axes, the length of said link'being such that both of said arms are substantially perpendicular to said link simultaneously, and suspension means located on said link substantially midway between its ends.

3. A support hanger comprising an intermediate vertical plate havingvertical end edges and a notch extending upwardly from its bottom edge, pivot means having vertical axes at said end edges, vertical wing plates rigidly connected to the ends of said intermediate plate and extending angularly from opposite sides thereof, arms of equal length pivoted at one end to said pivot means, a link pivoted at its ends to said arms, said link extending through said notch, the length of said link being such that both of said arms are substantially perpendicular to said link simultaneously, and'suspension means located on said-link substantially midway between its ends.

4. A support hanger which comprises: a fiat suspension plate adapted to be attached to supporting structure; a. pair of; support plates formed in the general shape of triangles, each support plate being fixedvertically and having one end of its top edge attached to the suspension plate; the end of each support plate remote from said fixed end being provided with vertical hinge knuckles; means interconnecting said remote ends of the support plates; and load-carrying means connected to said interconnecting means; said load-carrying means comprising a vertically disposed eye located directly under the suspension plate and adapted for horizontal movement; the parts being so constructed and arranged that the load is supported by the flat suspension plate directly above the line of horizontal movement of the vertical eye.

5. A support hanger which comprises: a pair of identical fiat support plates formed in the general shape of triangles and fixed vertically at an acute angle to each other and connected together along their adjacent vertical edges; the support plates being provided with hinge knuckles at their line of connection; a flat suspension plate secured on top of the fixed vertical plates adjacent their ends farthest away from the hinge knuckles, the suspension plate being adapted for attachment to supporting structure; a flat, swinging carrier plate formed in the general shape of a triangle and having one of its straight edges disposed vertically and hinged to said hinge knuckles for limited swinging movement about a vertical axis and within the acute angle formed by the support plates; the free end of the carrier plate extending to a point under the suspension plate; a vertically disposed eye carried at the free end of the carrier plate; and a support rod depending from the eye and connected to the load; the support rod having a pivoted connection with the eye so as to compensate for movement of the eye toward and away from the line of normal horizontal movement of the load; whereby the load is supported by the suspension plate directly above the arc of travel of the free end of the carrier member.

6. A support hanger which comprises: a pair of support plates formed in the general shape of triangles and fixed vertically at an acute angle to each other and connected together along their adjacent vertical edges; vertical hinge knuckles fastened at the apex of the fixed vertical plates; a flat suspension plate laid on top of the fixed vertical plates and secured thereto adjacent their ends farthest away from the hinge knuckles, the suspension plate being adapted for attachment to supporting structure; an articulation plate hinged to said hinge knuckles; a flat, swinging carrier plate formed in the general shape of a triangle and having one of its straight edges connected by a vertical hinge to the articulation plate; the carrier plate having a second straight edge extending horizontally, and extending to a point under the suspension plate; a vertically disposed eye carried at the free end of the carrier plate; and a support rod depending from the eye and connected to the load; whereby the eye is free to travel in a straight line to permit horizontal movement of the load.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,289,219 Marsh Dec. 31, 1918 1,333,699 Behrens Mar. 16, 1920 1,797,037 Wolif Mar. 17, 1931 2,156,468 Wood May 2, 1939 2,778,274 Behling Jan. 22, 1957 

